Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD) vice presidential candidate Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte said she felt "honored" to have campaigned with House Deputy Speaker Rodante Marcoleta, who recently withdrew his bid for senator.
“Congressman Rodante Marcoleta brought to the Senate race a genuine concern for our fellow Filipinos and their upliftment out of poverty,” said Duterte through her spokesperson, Liloan Mayor Christina Frasco. Frasco posted the statement on Facebook Thursday, April 28.
“Even as he withdraws from the Senate race, he will continue to be the voice of the marginalized. It was an honor to campaign for him and I wish him the very best,” Duterte's statement continued.
Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner George Garcia, on April 27, confirmed that Marcoleta filed for withdrawal last April 21.
Read more here: https://mb.com.ph/2022/04/27/marcoleta-withdraws-from-2022-senatorial-race/
For his part, Marcoleta said that his withdrawal was driven by poor performance in senatorial surveys.
“The fighter in me should also be brave enough to read the writings on the wall, let’s call a spade a spade,“ Marcoleta said in a press statement on April 27.
Marcoleta ran for Senate under the UniTeam alliance of presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos and his running mate Duterte.
In past UniTeam campaign sorties that Marcoleta joined, he would often brag to the crowd how he helped bring an end to media giant ABS-CBN's franchise.